Concept drawings of the Volkswagen Arteon have been revealed ahead of the production car’s launch at the 2017 Geneva motor show. The sleek four-door fastback is pitched against the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe, but Volkswagen says it is not a direct replacement for the CC.
We expect the new Arteon to go on sale in the UK in late 2017, following its summer launch in Europe. This will fill a vacuum in the range slightly above the CC, which VW has confirmed is due to go out of production ‘immimently’. It is being marketed as a new premium-sector offering for the company.
The new car, which sits on VW’s highly adaptable MQB platform has a 5cm longer wheelbase than the Passat saloon, and a boot capacity of 1,700 litres, accessed via a large tailgate. The company is keen to confirm that the car will be highly practical for business users, despite its coupe-like styling.
VW’s Arteon will be powered by a range of TSI petrol and TDI diesel engines, with the £30,000 (based on current exchange rates) entry-level model likely to be powered by the 1.5-litre TSI Evo engine in 150hp form, as revealed in the recently-facelifted Golf. The highest-powered petrol at launch is likely to be the 280hp 2.0-litre TSI version, which will be offered with VW’s 4Motion four-wheel drive system.
The diesel range is centred on the company’s widely-used 2.0-litre TDI, which VW confirms will start at 150hp, ‘but will be a lot more powerful than that for the top models,’ a VW spokesman confirmed. As for plug-in hybrid or electric versions, these are planned for launch after the more conventional versions.
Like the CC – which it doesn’t replace – the Arteon has a very coupe-like profile, with frameless side windows for its four doors, and strongly defined front-end styling. Tobias Suehlmann, exterior designer, says: ‘This combination is unique.’
Keep an eye out next year for the full Volkswagen Arteon review.
